Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – July 2023

July has been a month to welcome many visitors to our campuses. It was wonderful to host the 45^th Confratute Conference (in person once again!) at Storrs. I’ve enjoyed running into these passionate educators as they pursue their different conference strands focused on enriched learning and gifted and talented learners. All our campuses are hosting visitors and special events – an engineering conference for high school and college researchers at Avery Point was a recent highlight. Two weeks ago I enjoyed teaching a class for and meeting with a group of students visiting from East China Normal University. They were highly motivated students who embraced the UConn experience – from classes across a variety of subjects to field trips to the Dairy Bar.

Across our campuses we’ve shifted into high gear as we prepare for the upcoming academic year. Renovation projects are moving apace, new faculty are beginning to arrive, and the first students will start returning for Marching Band Camp and early orientations in just a couple of weeks.

As we engage in this summer work of preparation and renewal, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the remarkable contributions of our professional staff to our university. Our staff, from administrators to support personnel, work diligently to ensure the smooth functioning of our university. They are the pillars that uphold our operations – running programs, maintaining campus facilities, and providing essential services that enhance the overall experience for our UConn community.

Beyond their essential responsibilities, so many of our staff go above and beyond to create a welcoming and nurturing environment for our students. They support our students' academic journey, offer guidance, and foster a sense of belonging that enables them to thrive. When I was Dean of the School of Fine Arts, we often asked our graduating students about the person who had had the most impact on them. As often as students named a faculty member, they named a staff member, and they frequently shared sincere gratitude for the support they received from a kind and dedicated person who helped solve a problem or cheered them on through challenges.

So, as we take a deep breath and get ready to begin the new semester, let me share a heartfelt thank you to the staff who do so much to contribute to the University’s success! I’ll ask our students and faculty to take an extra moment when they come back to campus to join me in thanking a staff person who has made a difference for them.

All best wishes,

Anne

Syllabi Updates for Fall 2023

This past year, UConn has made two significant policy changes that have impact to our students. We request that you update your syllabi to reflect the below policies that students should be aware of. All syllabi reference link information can be found on the Provost’s website.

Academic Integrity

Effective August 28, 2023 the UConn has revised its Academic Integrity policy for Graduate and Undergraduate Students to ensure compliance with current regulations and best practices. This revision reflects our ongoing commitment to providing an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all our students.

The updated policy can be accessed on the Policy website and contains the specific changes and additions that have been made.

Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence

Effective July 11, 2023, UConn approved the Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence. This policy includes sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, intimate partner violence, stalking, complicity, retaliation and inappropriate amorous relationships and applies to students, employees, contractors, vendors, visitors, guests and other third parties.

HuskyCT Personalization Options: Pronouns and Name Pronunciation

Students, faculty, and staff may personalize their profile in HuskyCT to include preferred pronouns, name pronunciation (audio) and phonetic spelling of a name. These profile personalization features are always displayed alongside a person’s name card and almost everywhere in the system that a person’s avatar can be seen. Particularly, clicking on someone’s name card in course view, assessments, the roster and gradebook, communication tools, and all groups, will allow users to see phonetic name spellings, a playback of a person’s name pronounced correctly, and personal preferred pronouns. Click here to learn more about how to access personal customizations in HuskyCT.

Sign-up to participate in Fall Opening

Fall Opening is an opportunity for us to showcase to our new and returning students and their families the vibrant and diverse community that makes up UConn. Many of our staff work tirelessly all year to plan for a smooth, efficient, and welcoming move-in process, and your time and energy to support the success of the weekend is greatly appreciated. Building a sense of community and belonging among our new and returning students is essential to their success.

Leaders in Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, and other areas will be seeking both required and voluntary participation during Fall Opening, beginning as soon as August 18, for early arrivals, through the busy period of move-in between Thursday, August 24 – Sunday, August 27. Assignments will primarily involve greeting students with a welcoming smile, providing directions at parking lots or information tents, and otherwise spreading the goodwill and Husky spirit that we know makes our community special.

New Associate Dean and Department Head Orientation

Each year, the Office of the Provost holds an orientation session for newly appointed deans and department heads. This session is held prior to the start of the academic year and occasionally in January for newly appointed academic leadership hired outside of the usual hiring cycle. The Fall 2023 orientation session will take place virtually on Thursday, August 24th from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. New Associate Deans and Department Heads should RSVP by August 17th and email a headshot to michelle.everard@uconn.edu. Topics for the orientation include an overview of the role, University policy, and campus resources; the agenda will be sent to participants to RSVP in advance of the orientation.

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – June 2023

The Storrs campus is certainly quieter in summer than term-time, but there are still many things happening here, as there are at all our campuses.

The first thing that’s happening is – nature! The Storrs campus looks beautiful, with colorful flowers, lush green lawns, and the extraordinary trees of our campus arboretum in full leaf. Colleagues have shared photos of songbirds and raptors, a doe and fawn on the lawn near Whetten, and, of course, picturesque cows on Horsebarn Hill. At this time of year I especially appreciate everything our colleagues in Buildings and Grounds do to make our campuses attractive and welcoming.

The natural beauty of the campus serves as a backdrop for many special events and gatherings – summer classes, orientation sessions, camps, conferences, and more. The number of events has rebounded somewhat this summer but has still not reached pre-Covid levels. In the last newsletter I asked for suggestions for summer programming, and many thanks to all those who forwarded ideas. We want each of our campuses to be a vibrant place of learning, researching, and gathering throughout the year.

In mid-June I attended the opening of The Husky Robotics Invitational, a high school robotics competition sponsored by Engineering’s department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the UConn FIRST Club, and the Armored Artemises, a high-school robotics team based in Glastonbury. Teams came from as far away as Pennsylvania to compete and the level of energy and enthusiasm in McHugh Hall was fantastic. Many faculty, staff, and students contributed to making this event a success, and it was a terrific opportunity to support young engineers and showcase our School of Engineering.

The summer is a busy time not only for its own events, but for the preparation we do for the coming year. I’m especially grateful for the university staff who work throughout the summer to ready our facilities and programs to welcome students in August.

Just as I finished writing this, we’ve all learned of a new challenge for which we must prepare: the two decisions by the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action programs in college admissions. There is much to process in these decisions, but UConn’s commitment to the diversity in community that is essential to our work is unwavering. I encourage you to read and share the message shared by President Maric yesterday following these decisions.

All best wishes,

Anne

Synchrony JEDI Research Faculty Fellow

The Office for Diversity and Inclusion is seeking a Faculty Fellow for the upcoming year to be a part of the Synchrony Equity-Focused Student Success Initiative designed to increase rates of student success for students of color, low-income, and other student populations traditionally minoritized in higher education. One area of focus within this initiative is to enhance faculty and student research to support inclusive student experiences at UConn.

Toward this goal, UConn will fund and centralize a new Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) Research focus for fellows and minoritized undergraduate students: This initiative will allow the faculty fellow and students to engage in research that works with minoritized students to understand what programs are working and which ones need to be developed to meet the needs of these students. The inaugural Synchrony JEDI Faculty Fellow will be located at the UConn Hartford campus but work with students from the Stamford and Waterbury campuses as well.

Learn More.

Academic Impressions

As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that each member of our university community, including UConn and UConn Health, as information and guidance to feel supported and to thrive, we are pleased to share that we are expanding our commitment to provide high-quality professional development resources for our faculty and staff through a new institutional-wide membership with Academic Impressions.

Information on gaining access, UConn Picks, and more is available on UConn’s Academic Impressions website.

South Campus Infrastructure Construction Starting

The start of the South Campus Infrastructure Project is planned to start on July 7, 2023.

The intent of this project is to provide infrastructure improvements in the South Campus district to support the construction and sustainable operation of the South Campus Residence Hall. The overall scope of this project will provide renewable infrastructure to the new South Campus Residence Hall and includes new utilities including steam, electric, hot and chilled water, communications, sanitary, stormwater, and domestic water for the South Campus Residence Hall, and expansion of the South Campus Chiller Plant to accommodate a new geothermal heating and cooling system and to meet the needs of the Residence Hall.

To accommodate this work the following road closures are necessary. Starting July 12th, the following road impacts will begin and continue through the middle of August.

Mansfield Road will be CLOSED from Coventry Road to Whitney Road
Gilbert Road will be CLOSED from Mansfield to Whitney Road Extension
Whitney Road Extension will be converted to two-way traffic to facilitate traffic to the detoured portions of Mansfield Road
Please follow all detours accordingly

As always also please reference the Construction Activity Map for campus wide construction impacts.

Fall Opening

Mid-June marks the end of the school year for many of our local schools, the peak of new student orientation, and the pivotal moment for planning the upcoming academic year. This past spring, a cross-divisional group of professionals gathered to plan the opening of the fall 2023 semester at the Storrs campus. The principal goals included creating a sense of belonging and an atmosphere of welcome for our new and returning students. To achieve this, the University will come together to contribute to what we are referring to as Fall Opening at the Storrs campus.

Ship to Home Guidelines from Purchasing

In March 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the University issued guidance on shipping various goods to employee residences in the State of Connecticut. While the pandemic is over, the University is experiencing an increase in hybrid and fully remote working employees and faces additional challenges regarding the most efficient ways to procure goods for these employees. This announcement outlines procedures for purchasing and distributing these goods in various scenarios.

UConn Stamford Launches Eatery Meal Plan

UConn Stamford has launched the Local Eatery Meal Plan for the Fall 2023 semester. This new program will allow UConn students to purchase blocks of meals for use at off-campus, independent restaurants surrounding the Stamford campus. The participating restaurants will provide healthy, well-balanced options for UConn students taking part in the program. Each meal will consist of a main dish, a side, and a beverage and can be redeemed during the restaurant’s normal hours of operation. Unused meals will carry over from semester to semester and will remain active until the student graduates, separates from the University, or the cost per meal increases. The meal blocks are now available for purchase for the Fall 2023 semester through July 15^th, 2023.

2022-2023 Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors

Three exceptional scholars at the University of Connecticut have been awarded the highest honor the university bestows on its faculty, the Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor.

Each year, the Office of the Provost seeks nominations from across UConn for the newest cohort of Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors. Candidates must excel in all three areas of research, teaching, and public engagement. A committee of faculty is charged by the Provost’s Office to review and select each year’s honorees from among a competitive pool of nominees.

Honorees retain the title of Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor throughout their career at UConn and receive a $2,500 one-year stipend to be used by each recipient to further their professional activities. The number of available professorships each year is determined by the University by-laws. The Board of Trustees approved the latest cohort of honorees at its June 28 meeting.

The recipients for 2022-23 are as follows, with more detailed biographical information below.

Douglas J. Casa, Professor, Department of Kinesiology; Director, Athletic Training Education; Chief Executive Officer, Korey Stringer Institute; Research Associate, Human Performance Laboratory
Lewis Gordon, Professor and Head, Department of Philosophy
Bandana Purkayastha, Professor of Sociology and Asian and Asian American Studies; Associate Dean for Social Sciences, Regional Campuses, and Community Engagement

“It’s a pleasure to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of Professors Casa, Gordon, and Purkayastha through their appointment as Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors. They are not only outstanding scholars but also dedicated teachers who have mentored and inspired our students. Each of them is also a catalyst for change beyond the university, using their expertise to address societal and health challenges,” said UConn Provost Anne D’Alleva.

Douglas J. Casa

Douglas Casa has demonstrated a level of scholarly productivity that has led to an international reputation as one of the world’s leading experts in exertional heat stroke, hydration, thermal physiology, sport performance monitoring, maximizing performance in the heat, sport safety, and public policy regarding the prevention of sudden death during physical activity for the athlete, warfighter, and laborer. The work of Casa has not only added to our fundamental scientific understanding in these areas but has impacted policy and quality-of-care changes globally to establish widely used guidelines and practices that have not only improved performance and made physical activity safer but have directly saved thousands of lives. As a scholar, there are four main areas in which Casa has demonstrated, and exceeded in many cases, the university standards of scholarly excellence: 1) innovation and impact; 2) collaborations; 3) funding success; and 4) publication and public recognition. As an example, Casa has been a PI on 18 Department of Defense-funded grants in the past 6 years. UConn’s Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) was established by Casa at the specific request of Kelci Stringer, whose husband Korey Stringer died a tragic and preventable death from exertional heat stroke during a football practice in 2001 with the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL, Gatorade, and UConn joined KSI as the founding partners when the Institute’s doors opened in 2010. The mission of KSI is to provide research, education, advocacy, and consultation to maximize performance, optimize safety, and prevent sudden death for the athlete, warfighter, and laborer. Casa is the CEO of KSI and, with the assistance of an incredible team, has grown the organization to about 80 staff (25 paid and 55 volunteers), Casa has approximately 400 refereed publications and chapters in edited books, seven books, and over 600 presentations (national and international). The innovative and impactful nature of the organization that Casa has created is unarguable and in many diverse ways, it has had a broad-reaching positive ripple effect of scientific, service, and educational influence.

Casa has been affiliated with the Department of Kinesiology and its Athletic Training Education program for over 20 years. He has provided mentorship for their master’s and doctoral students as well as graduate-level exercise science students. In both his individual teaching and role in educational leadership and administration, he has improved teaching at University of Connecticut in multiple ways. Casa has individually taught 24 courses in exercise science and athletic training. For the athletic training program alone, Casa developed 14 new classes and drove the change in its curriculum that resulted in the first-ever accreditation of the athletic training education program at UConn, a program that continues to thrive 20 years later. His continued success as a teacher is demonstrated by the quality of his SET feedback each semester and the uniqueness of the course offerings at UConn thanks to his expertise and creativity in teaching.

Lewis Gordon

Lewis Gordon is one of the most important and highly regarded intellectuals in the world writing on anti-racism and Africana philosophy. He is internationally recognized as the leading contributor to the fields of Black existentialism, Africana Existential Phenomenology, Fanon studies, Teleological Studies of Disciplinarity (a field he invented), Decolonialism, and Afro-Jewish Studies. His original theories have generated widely discussed concepts such as “bad faith embodiment,” “epistemic closure,” “disciplinary decadence,” and “shifting the geography of reason,” among many others.

Gordon is the author of 12 books, editor and co-editor of 6 anthologies, and the author of over 100 articles in academic journals, 79 book chapters, and over 39 introductions, forewords, and afterwords. His work has been translated into over two dozen languages. His seminal first book, “Bad Faith and Anti-Black Racism” is widely regarded as a classic in the study of existential philosophy and racism, while his recent “Fear of Black Consciousness” has been hailed by Judith Butler as expanding our understanding of “how race consciousness is made and lived.” The latter has received coverage and press in dozens of newspapers and radio media across the globe, including in Publishers Weekly. Considered together, Gordon’s works constitute a significant and original vision of the human condition and consciousness.

As a teacher, Gordon is a recognized innovator and leader—internationally and at UConn—in the movement to make philosophy and the humanities a more inclusive subject. Gordon’s courses integrate sources from ancient through contemporary Africa, Latin America, and Native America. This has attracted a diverse group of African and Latin American students to philosophy—especially at UConn. Thus, for example, at the undergraduate level, his introductory course, Phil 1106, started with 35 students in his first semester teaching it in 2014; it has since grown into a highly sought-over 370-student lecture course. Moreover, Gordon has designed a number of new courses for the philosophy department’s curriculum, including seminars on Africana Philosophy, Global Southern Phenomenologies, Global Existentialism, Race in the Formation of Human Science, Phenomenology, Philosophy of Psychoanalysis, and Philosophy of Social Science.

Beyond his extensive service to the University, Gordon is on the editorial board of many journals, book series, and a news outlet (one of which won the 2021 Izzy Award for Independent Media). His work as an institution-builder includes founding Radical Philosophy Review, for which he was the first executive editor and for which he edited 6 volumes. The 26th volume of that journal is now at-press. He co-founded the Caribbean Philosophical Association in 2003, for which he was the first president. He founded Temple University’s Center for Afro-Jewish Studies, and its Institute for the Study of Race and Social Thought; and at Brown University, he founded the Department of Africana Studies, for which he was the first chairperson. He serves as an evaluator for the MacArthur, Ford, Newcombe, South African Research Council, and ACLS fellowships.

Bandana Purkayastha

Purkayastha’s research focuses on the structures of inequalities and social transformation, with specific focus on migrants and migration, gender and intersectionality from a global perspective, and critical human rights. A prolific scholar, with a current tally of 15 books, 36 peer reviewed articles, 35 chapters, and many other publications that reach across the world. Eagerness to engage with her ideas are evident through her long list of invited talks in the US and across the world, as well as the invitations to share her expertise for policy purposes by WHO (on migrant women and health) and diverse United Nations (UN) offices (including on violence against women and forced migration). A brilliant sociologist, she has been at the forefront of challenging global conceptual and methodological hierarchies, including between the Global North and South, that act as barriers to robust and meaningful social science research.

Significant disciplinary accolades as well as international recognition of her expertise are testimonies to her national and global scholarly prominence. In 2019, she was awarded the highest honor from the American Sociological Association [ASA], the Jessie Bernard Award, which is given “in recognition of scholarly work, inclusive of research teaching, mentoring and service, that has enlarged the horizons of sociology to encompass fully the role of women in society.” She continues to publish on racism and gendering structures that affect migrants. Her recent work on trafficking and other victims of forced migration, and her theoretical perspective on voluntary and forced migration, was featured by UN-IOM in 2022.

Purkayastha’s teaching record reflects her commitment to international, interdisciplinary, teaching and mentoring. Her commitment is to engage students in an intellectual feast while making sure they are well supported to grow as people who are mindful of equity and justice, and the inherent humanity of others. During her time at UConn she has developed and taught seven graduate and undergraduate courses, and co-developed three others to fill department needs. These courses all meet diversity, international, and interdisciplinary initiatives of the university. Her courses are cross-listed with, or serve the requirements of Asia and Asian American Studies (AASI), Human Rights, India Studies, and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. She has been a champion of using multiple methods for teaching and a consistent and enthusiastic early adopter of new technologies. Over the years she has used her national and global networks and leadership positions to bring outstanding scholars and prominent leaders to the university to enrich UConn’s educational offerings.

Provost Summit for Student Success

At the end of the spring semester, Provost Anne D’Alleva hosted a Summit on Student Success attended by over 30 academic leaders from across the university. Participants included Deans, Program Directors, Vice Provosts, the Directors of CETL, Honors, Student Success, Career Center, and Advising, as well as faculty and university staff from across the Storrs and regional campuses. The Student Success Summit provided many opportunities for participants to learn about and discuss both new and existing challenges and opportunities that students, staff and faculty all encounter as we work collectively to support student success at UConn. The goal of the Summit was to discuss and Identify UConn’s most effective programs and practices that contribute to our students’ overall success both now and in the future, as well as to develop plans for continuation and expansion of these programs and practices and finally, to draft a 3-5 year plan to wholistically support student success at UConn that will be widely shared for discussion in the fall.

It was clear from the many discussions at the Summit that UConn’s staff and faculty care deeply about student’s success in academics as well as personal lives. Our discussions about student success were particularly meaningful in the ways that our staff and faculty connect with and support our students. A number of innovative ideas were raised ways to involve even more faculty and staff in grass roots and collaborative efforts to support our students. For example, we discussed ways that we can increase faculty and staff work with FYE courses (a very important factor in student success), as well as ways to motivate more faculty and staff to volunteer to serve as UConn Connects Mentors and to lead Learning Communities, two of our most successful practices for increasing student success.

Also discussed was the important role of advising, of focusing on reduction in students failing and withdrawing from courses as well as ways to help faculty respond to the needs of diverse learners. The many ways about how faculty can include diverse perspectives in curricula and class discussion was also a fascinating topic from the Summit. Look for more information and a summary of our work in a future edition of this newsletter in the future and if any of you are interested in volunteering to work with us on student success, please contact us at that time.

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – May 2023

On the 22nd of May, as the academic year comes to a close, the first thing that needs to be said is thank you. We’ve had an outstanding year, marked by achievement across all dimensions of our work. I’m grateful for colleagues in the faculty, staff, and administration who create this success every day. We have an extraordinary impact on our students, our state, and nation, and the major problems facing our world.

Even as we’ve just said good-bye to the outstanding Class of 2023, we’re preparing to welcome the Class of 2027 to our campuses. We are right on track to meet our targets and enroll 4100 first-year students at Storrs and a total of 1600-1800 combined at our Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, and Waterbury. According to our colleagues in Admissions, we are projecting a record level of racial and ethnic diversity in the first-year class for the sixth year in a row, including an increase in first-generation students. This is also a class that is highly accomplished academically, and a UConn education is in demand at a time when many colleges and universities are struggling to attract students. Admissions does an outstanding job of recruiting and shaping our incoming class each year in collaboration with the schools, colleges, and campuses.

For all of us in academia, the summer months are a time that we shift the focus of our work and the rhythm of our days. For staff and administrators, the summer is a time to regroup and wrap up the prior year and prepare for the new one – it’s a time to engage in a mix of long-term projects and “seasonal” tasks like closing the fiscal year, refreshing classrooms, and orienting new students. For many faculty, this is a time to prioritize research, and I’ve enjoyed visiting with colleagues in their labs and hearing from those heading out on research trips. I was in the new Science 1 building last week and was so pleased to see the progress the team has made there in getting some very complex labs and shared research facilities up and running.

Over the weekend, I attended UConn’s inaugural Human Rights Film Festival, co-sponsored by the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute and the School of Fine Arts. In addition to meeting filmmakers and activists, I was delighted to meet a group of very engaged students taking a May term class focused on human rights documentaries. Many of our May and summer term classes now take place online, which creates an opportunity for us to expand our summer offerings of conferences, K-12 education, athletic camps and other experiences. If you have an idea for a summer event or project that you would like to undertake or that you think the University ought to pursue, please do feel free to reach out (provost@uconn.edu). I’m gathering ideas and possibilities for Summer 2024 already.

But before Summer 2024 arrives, we need to enjoy Summer 2023! I hope everyone has a summer that is both productive and restorative. We’ll publish shorter newsletters geared toward colleagues working on our campuses in June and July and return to the full format in August.

All best wishes,

Anne

Travel Expenses for Trips of 30 Days or Longer

As a public institution, we are required to be careful stewards of our financial resources. If you are traveling for 30 days or more, please work with Travel to seek cost-effective self-catering accommodation. Email travel@uconn.edu for support.

For longer trips, the expectation is that use of self-catering accommodation will reduce food costs so that they are equivalent to normal expenses of purchasing food. Requests for long-term per diem support (30 days or more) should include a justification for why the extended per diem support is required. This might be related to specific requirements of research, limitations on accommodation related to the area of travel, non-food expenses that are being supported through per diems, or issues related to the individual context of travel. Any claims for per diems of over 30 days or more will only be approved when supported by appropriate justification.

Laura Curran Named Dean of UConn School of Social Work

Laura Curran, Ph.D., a highly regarded social work educator and researcher, has been selected as the 15th dean of the UConn School of Social Work.

Dr. Curran currently is the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Prior to serving as Vice Provost, Dr. Curran held the position of Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Rutgers University School of Social Work. She starts her new role as UConn School of Social Work dean on August 11.

Dr. Curran demonstrates a clear understanding of the mission of our School of Social Work, with a commitment to social, racial, and economic justice and the improvement of human well-being, both locally and globally. She has led several DEI initiatives and has a record of interdisciplinary collaboration and understands the demands of research and faculty advancement. She is also a strong supporter of students, serving as a mentor for supervised research assistantships for social work graduate students over the last two decades.

Dr. Curran earned her B.A. from Barnard College, an M.S.W. from Columbia University, and her PhD from UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare.

Read full announcement here

Provost Office Leadership Update

Jeffrey Shoulson, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, has accepted the position of Dean of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University and will transition from his role at UConn effective June 16. Since joining UConn in 2012, Jeffrey has been an active and engaged member of our community. While we are thrilled for him to take on this new well-deserved opportunity, we’re sorry to lose such thoughtful, kind, and dedicated colleague. On behalf of the Provost’s Office and the entire university administration, I want to thank Jeffrey for his contributions to UConn.

In the six years that Jeffrey has been a member of the Provost’s Office, he has served as a Vice Provost in several capacities, first as Vice Provost for Academic Operations, then Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Affairs, and finally Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. In this time, he has assumed many responsibilities including oversight of interdisciplinary centers and institutes, academic program development and assessment, and most notably, managing the promotion, tenure, and reappointment process. This is an exceptionally important and complicated process, which he has handled with skill and sensitivity for several years, guiding several hundred faculty to reach tenure and/or promotion.

Jeffrey has also made important contributions to the wellbeing of our students, including co-chairing the Future of Learning Committee, formed during the pandemic to address the rapidly changing education landscape with the pivot to online learning. He also led an initiative to study food insecurity across our multiple campuses, which eventually led to the establishment of Husky Harvest, a food pantry now located on the Avery Point, Hartford, Stamford, Storrs, and Waterbury campuses.

Before joining the Provost’s Office, Jeffrey served as Director of the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life and held the Doris and Simon Konover Chair in Jewish Studies. He is Professor of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages and Professor of English, and has affiliations with the Medieval Studies Program and the Middle East Studies Program. He was previously on the faculty at the University of Miami, where he also served as Director of Judaic Studies. He has actively served in the leadership of several professional societies including the Milton Society of America and the Association of Jewish Studies.

There have been many significant changes in the Provost’s Office in this last year. I am finalizing a plan to reorganize and rebuild and will share details on how we will move forward soon.

There will be an event to recognize Jeffrey’s accomplishments and impact on the UConn community on June 14^th (Click here for more details). Please join me in congratulating Jeffrey on his new role and thanking him for his service to UConn.

Read full announcement here

Clinical Placement Coordination Director Announcement

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Jean McCarthy as the next director of the Office of Clinical Placement Coordination (OCPC) effective July 1, 2023.

Professor McCarthy is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. She has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in various states across the US and has provided prevention, assessment, and intervention services in schools and hospitals. Before joining UConn, she was the Director of Rehabilitation at a skilled nursing facility. Professor McCarthy specializes in Neurocognitive Communication Disorders such as aphasia and dementia, as well as disorders related to swallowing, voice, and fluency. She is also a certified provider of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVTLOUD), which is a speech treatment for people with Parkinson's Disease.

Professor McCarthy holds leadership positions in the UConn Committee on Interprofessional Excellence in Healthcare (CIPEH) and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Additionally, she is a trustee for the Connecticut Speech and Hearing Association (CSHA) Foundation and has previously served on the CSHA executive board. She has demonstrated a commitment to and understanding of clinical placement coordination across a range of disciplines and support for the diverse voices and perspectives that constitute the constituency of OCPC. Professor McCarthy has articulated a clear dedication to supporting the work of OCPC and supporting the staff who work diligently to assure compliance for clinical placement contracts for our students and faculty and I am confident in her ability to succeed in this new role.

We would like to thank Dr. Carol Polifroni for leadership of OCPC for the past three years. Since its establishment in 2020, Dr. Polifroni has played a key role in setting up the operations of the office, building a staff team, and communicating the work of the office to the University. This has been no small task and we are grateful for the time and energy Dr. Polifroni has dedicated to OCPC.

Please join me in congratulating Professor McCarthy on this appointment and wishing her well as she begins the role this summer.

Read full announcement here

Institute of Materials Science (IMS) Director Reappointment

I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of Steven Suib as Director of the Institute of Materials Science (IMS) for a third term of five years, effective August 23, 2023.

This renewal recognizes Dr. Suib’s successful leadership as the director of the Institute since 2013. A few highlights from Dr. Suib’s tenure include hiring 10 new faculty who brought considerable diversity and research strength to the Institute; retention of key staff members; establishing and renewing eight Centers of Excellence; the first two awards as primary recipient at UCONN from ARPA-e; funded multi-investigator MURI, DOE EERE, NSF, and DoD efforts; three GAANN Fellowship (Polymer Program and MSE) awards totaling $2.2M in student aid; increasing the members of the Industrial Affiliates Program; substantial growth of all research programs; establishing a new Certificate Program in Characterization of Advanced Materials; and successful operation during COVID.

I am grateful to all of the staff, faculty, administrators, and other key partners of the Institute of Materials Science who shared feedback about Dr. Suib’s leadership. There were several common themes regarding Director Suib’s leadership, including his strong advocacy for his faculty and the IMS labs, and his success in promoting and securing resources for them. Dr. Suib is also known to be approachable and responsive, patient, thoughtful, and pragmatic, with a strong work ethic. Dr. Suib is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Fellow of the American Chemical Society and National Academy of Inventors, with over 700 research papers and 80 patents to his credit. These qualities contribute to the consensus that Dr. Suib is a strong administrator and outstanding researcher who can lead growth and innovation at IMS.

Please join me in congratulating Steven Suib on his reappointment and thanking him for his dedication and hard work on behalf of the Institute of Materials Science and the University.

Read full announcement here

CLAS Dean Transition

Juli Wade, who has served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLAS) and Sciences since 2019, has accepted the position of Executive Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University.

Throughout the last five years, Juli has provided great leadership for CLAS and its many units including the newly established School of Public Policy, 24 departments and 13 centers and institutes. Juli led the development of the CLAS strategic plan with collaborative involvement by faculty, staff and students across the college. She has guided CLAS through significant growth including expanding academic program offerings, increasing research expenditures, and strategic hiring.

Juli has also been a strong advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion work in CLAS and across the University. She hired the first Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in CLAS and has supported numerous initiatives to foster a supportive and inclusive environment in the University’s largest college.

Before coming to UConn, Juli served in several different roles at Michigan State University, most recently as Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Staff development. She has extensive experience in higher education and is a trusted colleague of many. While we are excited for Juli to embark on this new adventure, she will certainly be missed here at UConn. In my experience working with Juli both as a fellow dean and as Provost, I have always appreciated her thoughtfulness, transparency, collegiality, and commitment to equity and inclusivity.

Beginning July 1, 2023, Ofer Harel, currently Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs, will serve as the Interim Dean of CLAS. Ofer formerly served as the Director of Graduate Admissions in the Department of Statistics and is a Professor of Statistics. I’m grateful to Ofer for his willingness to serve in this role and am confident in his ability to lead CLAS and drive progress in supporting the academic mission and promoting research and innovation. I will share details on a search to fill the position permanently once available.

Read full announcement here

PAECES Award Winners

The annual Provost Awards for Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship (PAECES) recipients were announced earlier this month. We are so pleased to recognize each award recipient, chosen from a competitive pool of nominees. Congratulations to all the faculty and staff who exemplify the university’s service and engagement mission by making notable impacts on our community.

Faculty Research Distinguished Award – Professor Nathaniel Rickles, Department of Pharmacy
Faculty Research Emerging Award – Professor Jennifer Mozeiko, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Science
Faculty Distinguished Instructor Award – Professor Phoebe Godfrey, Department of Sociology
Faculty Emerging Instructor Award – Professor Christopher Steele, Internal Medicine, UConn Health
Undergraduate Student Award – Makayla Dawkins, Bachelor of Science, Individualized major in Gender, Sexuality, and Reproduction; minor in Human Development and Family Sciences

Click here to learn about Provost Office awards

Dates

May 25-27 Shavout

May 26 Buddha’s Birth

May 28 Pentecost Sunday

June 16 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib

June 24 Litha

June 26 – July 1 The Hajj

June 28-29 Eid al-Adha

Faculty Consulting, Storrs/regional campus faculty - year begins May 23

Last year, updates to the faculty consulting policy changed the reporting year to align with a nine-month faculty contract. This means that the new faculty consulting year began on May 23, 2023. If you have ongoing consulting activities, please be sure to submit a new request for the current (FY24) reporting year. Use the “start on approval” option for any activities that do not have a specific start date.

All information, including PDF and video guides on using InfoEd for consulting submissions, can be found at https://consulting.uconn.edu/ under the “getting started” or “training materials” areas of the website.

If you have specific questions related to your consulting request, please email Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Sarah Croucher (sarah.croucher@uconn.edu).

Center & Institute Directors Retreat

The annual Center and Institute Directors Retreat was held on Tuesday, May 16 in the Student Union. This annual gathering is an opportunity for center and institute directors to form new connections and share more about the important work of their units and how they can collaborate with other centers and institutes to promote interdisciplinary research and collaboration. Education Advisory Board (EAB) made a keynote presentation on emerging best practices for centers and institutes, and UConn colleagues led sessions focused on multidisciplinary grants, start ups, communications, philanthropy, and community engagement.

Provost Summit for Student Success

The inaugural Provost Summit for Student Success will be held on Thursday, May 25, at the Homer Babbidge Library. Key university leaders will spend the day collaborating and brainstorming ways to overcome challenges related to student success, reviewing effective intervention methods, and discussing the need for assessment and informed future planning for the next academic year and beyond. A summary of the day’s discussion and recommendations will be shared in the next newsletter.

Office of the Provost

Clinical Placement Coordination Director Appointment

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Jean McCarthy as the next director of the Office of Clinical Placement Coordination (OCPC) effective July 1, 2023.

Please join me in congratulating Professor McCarthy on this appointment and wishing her well as she begins the role this summer.

Sincerely,

Anne & Amy

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

Amy Gorin, PhD
Vice Provost for Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Initiatives
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

But it’s more than that. A top-ranked Land Grant research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut, built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion with emotional intelligence in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Leadership Update

Dear Colleagues,

I’m writing to share that Jeffrey Shoulson, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, has accepted the position of Dean of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University and will transition from his role at UConn effective June 16. Since joining UConn in 2012, Jeffrey has been an active and engaged member of our community. While we are thrilled for him to take on this new well-deserved opportunity, we’re sorry to lose such thoughtful, kind, and dedicated colleague. On behalf of the Provost’s Office and the entire university administration, I want to thank Jeffrey for his contributions to UConn.

There have been many significant changes in the Provost’s Office in this last year. I am finalizing a plan to reorganize and rebuild and will share details on how we will move forward soon.

Sincerely,

Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – April 2023

The month of April has certainly been busy for all of us – it’s a mix of events to close out the academic year, events to welcome a new class of students, and a rush of meetings to finish up the tasks and goals of the year.

Earlier this week we held the first meeting of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. Lloyd Blanchard, Pamir Alpay and I will be co-chairing this process in partnership with Anna Pond, an external consultant who will help guide us to develop a strong and actionable strategic plan for the University. I am excited to build on the vision President Maric has set and am invested in creating a plan that aligns our priorities and values with resources to support the advancement of our beloved UConn. The committee had a terrific opening discussion of our goals and the need for a “One UConn” approach to the plan. I’ll use this space in the coming months to update you on our progress.

We also held a Trustee-Administration-Faculty-Student (TAFS) meeting this month, with a focus on undergraduate student success. The University Bylaws establish this TAFS committee with the goal of creating a space for representatives of the university community to come together to discuss issues of importance. We had a presentation from Dr. Tadarrayl Starke, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success, and a robust conversation around current and planned programming to promote student engagement and academic success.

I had the opportunity to spend a day at the Avery Point Campus meeting with faculty, students, and staff. I appreciated the honest and thoughtful discussions I had with many individuals throughout the day surrounding issues like building enrollment, resource and space constraints, and academic program offerings. I plan to continue visiting each of our campuses on a regular basis so I can put focus on supporting the UConn experience across all areas of the State.

I attended the Undergraduate Research Presentations and Mentorship Excellence Awards hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) and was so impressed by the creativity and brilliance of our undergraduate researchers. This event takes place at both Storrs and Stamford, with opportunities for students from all campuses to participate. Programs like this are essential to providing a life-transformative experience for our students. None of this would be possible without the leaders of OUR and the many faculty and staff who serve as mentors for these students.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the lunch that was prepared for me by students in Nutritional Science 3271: Food Services Systems Management. They were required to plan, cost out, quantify, and cook a three-course meal in CAHNR’s teaching kitchen, and I was thrilled to participate! The meal was vegetarian and absolutely delicious, especially a Peruvian appetizer of roasted potatoes with a spiced tomato salsa.

There are many more things I could mention but won’t try to be exhaustive. I am grateful to everyone for their hard work as we wrap up this semester and get ready for the summer, and look forward to celebrating Commencement Weekend with you!

All best,

Anne

UConn's Newest Living/Learning Community Launching Fall 2023

Officially launched with a celebration on April 27^th, the newly established BSOUL House (a Learning Community in support of Black Sisters Optimizing Unity & Leadership) is designed to support the scholastic efforts of female students who identify as African American/Black through academic and social/emotional support, access to research opportunities, and professional development. BSOUL House is open to first- and second-year female undergraduates interested in engaging in courses and co-curricular activities related to the experience of Black females in higher education. For more information, visit https://LC.uconn.edu/.

Interfolio Review, Promotion & Tenure (RPT)

UConn has implemented Interfolio’s Review, Promotion & Tenure module for the submission and review of all promotion, tenure, and midpoint review cases for the AY 23-24 PTR cycle. Interfolio RPT is a secure, online workflow platform that provides customizable tools to manage all of the documents, workflows, committees, communication, and outcomes associated with review-based academic decisions.

We thank you all for your engagement, enthusiasm, and input as we’ve worked over the past year to configure this new system and prepare for its launch. As of this month, departmental system administrators may now begin creating cases within RPT for faculty who will be coming up for promotion (both tenure track and non-tenure track), tenure, or midpoint review in the 23-24 PTR cycle utilizing the department- and action-specific templates.

Learn More.

Reading Days

Reading Days are Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and April 30. Per the University Senate By-Laws, the intent of Reading Days is as follows:

Reading Days are protected time for students to prepare for the final exam and assessment period. Instructors shall not require any course-related activity, assessment, or submission of work on Reading Days. Instructors may use Reading Days for optional activities, such as office hours. While an instructor cannot initiate required course-related activity, assessments, or submission of work on Reading Days, instructors have the option to accommodate student requests for required work and/or examinations to be rescheduled for a Reading Day. Reading Days restrictions do not include responsibilities with external placements, such as clinical positions and internships.

Final Exams

Final exams begin on Monday, May 1, and end on Saturday, May 6.

Final in-class examinations may not be given during the last week of classes. Other types of assessments (for example, but not only, portfolios, performances, projects, presentations, etc.) may be due in the last week of classes, but should be clearly delineated on the syllabus from the first week of classes.

Undergraduate students may request rescheduling for an exam through the Dean of Students Office for the Storrs campus or each regional campus student services office, and as early as possible. The reasons for such a request include bunched finals or other extenuating circumstances. Such bunched finals may include final assessments like juried performances for Fine Arts students. A student whose absence is excused by the Dean of Students Office or regional student services staff shall have an opportunity to take a final without penalty. Please consult the Dean of Students website and the Registrar’s website for further details.

UNESCO ChatGPT Quick Start Guide

UNESCO has developed a ChatGPT quick start guide to provide an overview of how ChatGPT works and explains how it can be used in higher education. The Quick Start Guide raises some of the main challenges and ethical implications of AI in higher education and offers practical steps that higher education institutions can take. This Quick Start Guide was published in April 2023. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly developing field. This guide is based on GPT-3.5, the latest free version of ChatGPT available at the time of writing. As well as dynamic changes in technology, the ethical implications of ChatGPT and other forms of AI are also swiftly advancing. Readers are advised to constantly check reliable sources for the latest news and updates.

https://www.iesalc.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ChatGPT-and-Artificial-Intelligence-in-higher-education-Quick-Start-guide_EN_FINAL.pdf

Victoria Vaughan Dickson Named Dean of UConn School of Nursing

Victoria Vaughan Dickson, PhD, RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN has been appointed as the next Dean of the School of Nursing. She will begin this new role on August 1, 2023.

Dr. Dickson has demonstrated a deep understanding of our School of Nursing’s needs and will bring the necessary leadership and vision to continue the school’s extraordinary achievements across teaching, research and engagement. She is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for the School and will facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations across the University.

Read the full announcement.

CLAS Dean Juli Wade

Juli Wade, who has served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts (CLAS) and Sciences since 2019, has accepted the position of Executive Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University.

Throughout the last four years, Juli has provided great leadership for CLAS and its many units including the newly established School of Public Policy, 24 departments and 13 centers and institutes. Juli led the development of the CLAS strategic plan with collaborative involvement by faculty, staff and students across the college. She has guided CLAS through significant growth, including expanding academic program offerings, increasing research expenditures, and strategic hiring.

New Training for State Employees: Understanding Domestic Violence

During the 2022 legislative session, the Connecticut General Assembly passed, and the Governor signed Public Act 22-82. This legislation requires all state agencies to provide to all employees one hour of training and education related to domestic violence and the resources available to victims of domestic violence.

To comply with this state requirement, the Office of Institutional Equity prepared a self-paced online video presentation available through the Learning@Work system. Employees will be receiving direct communication from Learning@Work with instructions on how to fulfill this training requirement. This training must be completed by July 1, 2023.

UConn and UConn Health are committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and non-discriminatory learning and working environment for all members of our community. UConn and UConn Health are also committed to ensuring our employees are equipped with information, support and assistance.

Please contact the Office of Institutional Equity at (860) 486-2943 or equity@uconn.edu for questions or concerns. Information about resources can be found on the University’s Title IX website (www.titleix.uconn.edu).

Celebrating Promotion & Tenure of 96 Faculty

At their meeting on April 19^th, the Board of Trustees approved the promotion and tenure of 96 faculty across UConn’s multiple campuses. Evaluations for promotion, tenure, and reappointment apply the highest standards of professional achievement in scholarship, teaching, and service for each faculty member evaluated. Applications for promotion and tenure are reviewed at the department level, school or college level, and finally at the Office of the Provost before recommendations are forwarded to the Board of Trustees. This process involves significant work on the part of each faculty member, as well as assistance and support of colleagues and administrative staff who provide guidance and manage many of the logistics through each stage of the promotion and tenure cycle. It is a notable milestone for each faculty member awarded these promotions, as well as for their colleagues. View the listing of faculty promoted and/or granted tenure here.

Executive Leader Onboarding

Another session of the Executive Leader Onboarding series was held on Thursday, March 30^th at the UConn Health campus in Farmington. Senior administrators participated in dynamic discussions with Human Resource leadership at UConn and UConn Health about services and resources offered and current projects. Additionally, senior leaders participated in a Predictive Index assessment to understand how their leaderships styles can help control workplace outcomes and steer their teams in the right direction with confidence and empathy. Interim CEO of UConn Health and Dean of the UConn School of Medicine Dr. Bruce Liang presented on the highlights of UConn Health and its facilities as the campus has undergone a major transformation over the past decade due to the State’s investment in the Bioscience Connecticut initiative. Senior leaders also participated in a UConn Health campus tour, including student learning and training labs, new research labs, and the renovated medical and dental clinical facilities that continue to provide exceptional patient care and training for medical and dental professionals in Connecticut.

Save the Date: Staff Technology Day
Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Every day, new applications and features emerge that change how we work. Embrace these updates, and technology can be your greatest ally in the workplace.

That’s why Information Technology Services, in partnership with the Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice President for Information Technology, has created a professional development opportunity for all UConn staff. We want to share information, resources, and support so that you can take advantage of the technology available to you.

Upcoming Governor's Council on Women and Girls Panel re Firefighters

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Next week, Wednesday, May 3rd from 10am to 11am via Zoom, the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls will host a panel discussion on women firefighters. Moderated by Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, the panel will discuss their path to their current roles, experience thus far, how we can increase the pipeline for more women as firefighters, and much more. Although the panel consists of all women with a focus of increasing the voices of women in the topic selected, all members of the general public are welcome to attend. If you’re interested in this topic but unable to attend, a recording will be posted online here following the event.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER https://provost.media.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2165/2023/04/CoWaG-Firefighter-Panel-Flyer-FINAL.png

Office of the Provost

Victoria Vaughan Dickson Named Dean of UConn School of Nursing

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Victoria Vaughan Dickson, PhD, RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN as the next Dean of the School of Nursing. She will begin this new role on August 1, 2023.

Dr. Dickson was selected from an exceptionally talented pool of applicants. She joins UConn from New York University, where she is the John W. Rowe Professor in Successful Aging and currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Research Innovation, Director of the Pless Center for Nursing Research.

Dr. Dickson’s research focuses on investigating the bio-behavioral influences on self-care in patients with cardiovascular disease risk, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and multiple comorbidities. Her work has led to an improved understanding of the sociocultural influences of self-care among community dwelling individuals and families and the development of innovative theory-based interventions. Dr. Dickson is recognized as an international expert in qualitative research techniques, mixed methods research, and has conducted training for interdisciplinary teams locally, nationally, and internationally. She has received numerous awards for her research and leadership including the STTI Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame, HFSA Nursing Research Leadership award, and ENRS Leadership Award. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America and the New York Academy of Medicine. Dr. Dickson is also the editor of the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.

Dr. Dickson earned her BSN from Temple University and her MSN and PhD from University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. She has extensive clinical and research experience and currently holds clinical appointments at NYU Langone Health and Bellevue Hospital as an advanced practice nurse.

Dr. Dickson is dedicated to building research capacity across disciplines and advancing nursing science that impacts policy and clinical care. She is PI of the NHLBI- funded R25 Research Education in Cardiovascular Conditions program focused on undergraduate nursing students; site PI and program director of the NIOSH-funded T42 doctoral training program in occupational and environmental health nursing, co-PI of the NINR-funded NYU Meyers P20 Exploratory Center for Precision Health in Diverse Populations and KL2 co-director and co-investigator of the NCATS-funded NYU CTSI. In addition, Dr. Dickson is a co-investigator on numerous team science initiatives focused on cardiovascular disease and multiple chronic conditions.

I want to express my gratitude to the search committee, chaired by Jason Irizarry, as well as the faculty, staff and students of the School of Nursing for your active participation in this process. Your input was vital to the evaluation of candidates.

Finally, I would like to thank Dean Deborah Chyun for her outstanding leadership of the School of Nursing over the last several years, and for her service to the greater University.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Dickson to this role, to the School of Nursing, and to the UConn Community.

Sincerely,
Anne

Anne D’Alleva, PhD
Provost and Executive Vice President
University of Connecticut
Office of the Provost
352 Mansfield Road, U-1086
Storrs CT 06269-1086
Tel. 860-486-4037

UConn is a great university.
But it’s more than that. A top-ranked research institution, with campuses and staff across Connecticut, built to inspire the global community that is UConn Nation. UConn’s talented students exceed expectations. Our expert researchers, faculty, and alumni drive Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for a better tomorrow. We fuel the State’s economy and are committed to inclusion in benefiting the greater good. This is UConn.

STUDENTS FIRST, UCONN ALWAYS. HUSKIES FOREVER.

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – March 2023

As of today, we have received a record high of over 48,200 applications across all our campuses. UConn is in demand, and that is a direct reflection of our talented and innovative faculty and staff. Our program for admitted students, UConn Bound, will take place on April 1 and 15, and I’m grateful to all the faculty, staff, and current students who will participate in these important events. They were favorites of mine when I was a Department Head and Dean – it was always rewarding to connecting with hopeful, excited prospective students and their families. I especially enjoyed meeting not only our Fine Arts students, but also students from other disciplines who visited with us to ask about minors and participating in ensembles.

This is a busy time of year in the Provost’s Office. We have almost completed academic unit budget hearings as well as the promotion, tenure and reappointment process for 2022-23. The Provost’s Office is also launching its DEIJ Faculty Fellow Program, with the goal of advancing innovative efforts in DEIJ work as well as building a pipeline of leaders at the university. For the coming academic year, one faculty member will be selected to work with the Provost’s Office on specific DEIJ initiatives in collaboration with the Office for Diversity and Inclusion. We hope to expand programs like this in the future, to give faculty opportunities to gain experience in administration and engage in impactful professional development.

We are also working to address a number of challenges. Over the past few months, faculty and staff have shared significant frustration with the Concur travel system. Please understand that our colleagues in Procurement and Accounts Payable are working hard and with a very good will to support travelers, and we all appreciate your patience as we work to improve the system. The President has asked Lloyd Blanchard, our Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Planning, to convene a working group that will include colleagues from Procurement, Accounts Payable, frequent travelers among the faculty, and other key stakeholders to identify needed improvements. You will be hearing more about this initiative in the coming week.

I can’t in good conscience end without mentioning one of the most important things happening this month – basketball! I am so proud of the UConn Women’s team for their tenacity and determination throughout a challenging season, their Big East Tournament title, and their deep run in the NCAA tournament. I’m now anxiously awaiting Saturday’s Final Four game, and will be cheering on the UConn Men’s team along with all of UConn Nation.

GO HUSKIES!

Anne

Provost’s DEIJ Faculty Fellow Program

The Provost's Office seeks interested applicants for a Provost's DEIJ Faculty Leadership Fellow to contribute to the advancement of the Provost's DEIJ initiatives for AY 23-24. The fellow will oversee an assigned portfolio of initiatives and projects, collaborating closely with the Provost, the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, vice provosts, deans, department heads, and faculty. Applicants will be considered who hold a current, full-time faculty position at the University, and may include tenured faculty or CIRE faculty on multi-year contracts. It is anticipated that the fellow will contribute approximately 4-8 hours per week to assigned projects and initiatives, and work hours may vary based on active projects. The term of the appointment will be August 23, 2023 - May 22, 2024. Learn more about this opportunity and how to apply.

Senate Bylaw Amendment Approval

At the March 6 meeting, the University Senate approved an amendment to the Bylaws, Rules and Regulations of the University Senate, II.B.12, Readmission. The amendment proposed the additional of an academic renewal option which allows students who have been separated from the university for a significant period to omit a certain number of courses from GPA calculation. The option is designed to provide motivation, incentive, and access for those students hoping to return to UConn to complete their degree.

Senate PTR/PR Forums

In partnership with the Provost’s Office and AAUP, the Faculty Standards Committee of the University Senate will hold two separate forums on faculty promotion, tenure, and reappointment on Friday, April 14, 2023, via WebEx. The purpose of the forums is to ensure that all faculty are aware of PTR and PR procedures and expectations at the university and have the opportunity to have their questions answered by the administration.

The Promotion, Tenure & Reappointment (PTR) program for tenure track faculty will be held from 9:00-11:00 AM. The program will begin in a group session with the Provost’s Office outlining PTR procedures at the University of Connecticut. This large group meeting will be followed by breakout sessions for participating schools/colleges, led by Deans or their designees, to discuss the nuances of the PTR process specific to each school/college.

The Promotion and Reappointment program will be held from 1:00-2:30 PM and is for faculty who are eligible to use the non tenure track promotion and reappointment form (this covers clinical, in-residence, and extension [CIRE] faculty members and lecturers, as well as research professors).

Faculty and staff who plan to attend must register by April 12^th to attend by completing the appropriate survey. Reservations can also be made via the Senate website. Recordings of the programs will be available after April 14th.

Reading Days

Reading Days are Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and April 30. Per the University Senate By-Laws, the intent of Reading Days is as follows:

Final Exams

Final exams begin on Monday, May 1, and end on Sunday, May 6.

Provost's Office Personnel Update

Effective March 17, 2023, Bridget Inzirillo has left the Provost’s Office and accepted a new position at North Carolina State University as Assistant Dean of Finance at NC State in the Wilson College of Textiles. Anyone who had the opportunity to work with Bridget knows how truly exceptional she is. Bridget masterfully managed several complex budgets in academic affairs and played an instrumental role in overseeing the finance, personnel and general operations of the Provost’s Office. She has been a source of guidance for many of us and will certainly be missed.

Kate Clark, Associate Director of Finance with a dual report to the Provost’s office and BPIR, will be serving as Interim Director of Academic Finance and Administration. Kate has worked closely with the Provost’s Office over the past few years, and I am confident in her ability to take on this role. We will plan to launch a search to refill the position permanently and will share details when available.

Kognito: NEW Online simulation training

Have you ever been worried about a student? Faculty and staff are in an ideal position to recognize when someone is struggling emotionally and may need help. Kognito is an online interactive training that lets faculty and staff practice conversations with virtual students, to assist with engaging students and connecting them to other campus resources when needed. Student Health and Wellness (SHaW) is making this program available to all members of the UConn community to help create a safer and more supportive campus.

The online module runs for approximately 40 minutes and connects users with a coach and walks through various scenarios. It is designed to:

Support academic performance
Enhance student retention
Promote campus safety

These practice discussions help students build resilience, strengthen relationships and develop connections with campus resources. A pre and post survey offers important feedback about impact and the module concludes with an overview of campus resources and a certificate of completion.

To launch the training visit uconn.kognito.com. In addition, the resources to support student wellbeing website provides additional tools.

Center for Career Development wins 2023 EY Global Career Services Award

UConn’s Center for Career Development was awarded the Ernst & Young Global Award for University Employer Partnerships, recognizing a career center with the best practice in programs aimed at connecting students with employers. The Center for Career Development team, led by Assistant Vice Provost Jim Lowe, is comprised of passionate and thoughtful individuals who are making a huge difference in the lives of UConn students and preparing them for their future careers. We are so proud of our colleagues for this tremendous achievement and thankful for the important work they do for our students and communities.

Dr. Cato T. Laurencin Awarded 2023 Priestley Medal

University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery Dr. Cato T. Laurencin was awarded the 2023 Priestley Medal, the highest honor of the American Chemical Society. He is being recognized for his work on polymeric materials and composites for biological use as well as for his leadership in inclusion, diversity, equity, and antiracism. Dr. Laurencin has dedicated his life and career to pioneering the field of regenerative engineering, defined as “the convergence of advanced materials science, stem cell science, physics, developmental biology, and clinical translation toward the regeneration of complex tissues, organs, or organ systems.” In his address at the March 28th ACS reception, Dr. Laurencin remarked “I’m excited about the power of polymeric chemistry and materials science in addressing grand challenges. People tell me this is going to be hard. But I tell my students, as Bob Marley stated, ‘You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.’”

Faculty Honors and Awards

Faculty at the University of Connecticut are known nationally and internationally for their excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. As a highly visible measure of this, our faculty are frequently recognized for their excellence and expertise as recipients of many internal and prestigious national and international awards. Each achievement is richly deserved and further elevates the international reputation of UConn as a top research institution. To further recognize our excellent faculty, the Office of the Provost has developed a webpage to highlight such awards and honors. Please visit the Awards & Honors webpage to learn more about our faculty and details on how to submit award information to be published on our page. This page is scheduled to be updated once every semester and faculty are encouraged to submit their recent external awards and honors for recognition.

Highlighting Interdisciplinary Scholarship

The mission of the Institute of Materials Science (IMS) is to promote education, research, and outreach across internal and external communities in the exciting and ever-growing field of materials research. There are three major educational programs in IMS including the Materials Science and Engineering Department, the Materials Science Ph.D. program, and the Polymer Ph.D. program. Undergraduate students in our research groups are trained in making, characterizing, and applying materials. Independent study, senior design, NSF REU, UCONN SURF, work study, and individual research projects are all supported by our labs and funding. Graduate student fellowships through the UCONN Foundation and federally funded programs also contribute to educational efforts. A new online certificate program in Advanced Materials Characterization is aimed at practical aspects of use of instruments and data interpretation, including workforce education of industrial researchers. Over 150 faculty members and similar numbers of graduate students use the Core Research and Service Facilities in IMS. Lab Managers of these facilities are Ph.D. level researchers who train students, operate, and provide maintenance of instruments.

Our efforts are multifold in support of the University's research mission. Besides individual grants and contracts, IMS houses numerous multi-investigator awards due to the strong inerdisciplinary composition of faculty members and students from various schools and colleges. Some of the multi-investigator programs housed in IMS include large federal programs under MURI, I/UCRC, ARPA-E, and GAANN Fellowship programs in both Polymers and Materials Science & Engineering. Major industry programs include the Pratt Center of Excellence, the Collins Aerospace Center of Excellence, the DENSsolution Center of Excellence, and the UConn Thermo Fisher Scientific Center for Advanced Microscopy and Materials Analysis. These programs all provide support to graduate students and a foundation for many Ph.D. theses. Many of IMS’s industrial research partners are members of the review committees for our graduate students and provide outstanding perspective of potential careers, as well as advice about research. The new building for IMS is shown here.

Outreach is another important activity in IMS. The Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP) serves many companies by carrying out characterization of their materials. Short courses and workshops are also provided through IAP. Our External Advisory Board (EAB) consists of leaders from industry and the Connecticut State government who provide invaluable support and advice for new directions. With the help of EAB members, we have established several Centers of Excellence in IMS that involve collaborative research projects, use of instrumentation by industrial researchers, Certificate Courses, and short term service work. IMS’s investment in outreach also supports multiple materials-based programs (such as sponsorship of a materials division under the CT Invention Convention) and other University efforts such as Olympiads, summer fellowships, McNair scholars, SURF, and LSAMP.

The IMS website, www.ims.uconn.edu, provides significant information about our research efforts, personnel, and outreach programs. Details concerning the number of resident faculty members, grant awards per year, number of students, industry partners, alumni, annual research funding, leadership, and other related information can be found online under our Interactive Fact Sheet .

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are among the core values of the University of Connecticut and the Institute of Materials Science. We recognize that diversity in outlook and approach, equity on all levels, and total inclusion all contribute to a vibrant intellectual environment, promote deep understanding of our society's shared challenges, and cultivate perspectives needed to solve problems of the future. We firmly believe that collaboration among team members with varied experiences, perspectives and viewpoints generates more incisive and deeper insight that better serves our people, partners, customers, and communities.

Academic Affairs Spotlight

The Office of the Provost and the units that report in academic affairs are staffed and led by an outstanding group of talented and dedicated colleagues. This month we are spotlighting Alyssa Kelleher, Director of the Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs. Alyssa was enlisted in the Connecticut Army National Guard before earning a commission through Army ROTC while attending UConn. She served in the Regular Army after commissioning until returning in 2007 to the Connecticut National Guard. Alyssa deployed twice to Afghanistan, once as a Platoon Leader and once as a Company Commander. Alyssa continues to serve in the Connecticut National Guard, currently as the Battalion Commander of the 1/169 Regional Training Institute (RTI). She graduated from UConn in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and earned her Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management from UConn in 2017.

What does a typical work week look like for you?

There really is no typical week, which is part of why I love my job so much! I have recurring events, like team meetings, coordination meetings with both ROTC Department Heads, and meetings with my Leadership Legacy Student. Beyond these things every week looks different based on what time of the year it is, what projects we are working on, what events we have coming up, and what students bring to us. As a small team we work on most of these things together. Woven throughout every week is plenty of time with each other, and with our student employees. It's important to all of us to create a place where all of us like to come to work, and where our students like to come for advice or just for a space to study or relax.

What is an important project/initiative you’re working on right now?

There are a few - one is a big reapproval (requirement every two years) with the Federal VA so UConn continues to be a school that can accept GI Bill benefits - a lot if going into this behind the scenes as we work with Sarah Croucher and other campus partners on various administrative requirements that must be line in order to submit the reapproval. Another one is expanding the Veteran's History Project, which Emily Lugo on the team is doing a great job with! Lastly, we are finishing up legislative season, providing feedback through Government Relations to the state on behalf of our students and the University.

What are you most looking forward to as the academic year begins?

This one is a shameless plug for a new program that is housed within our department, but is a stand alone federal grant serving the whole state of CT - the Connecticut Veterans Upward Bound Program. Run by Ryan Hinton and Jessika Gossett, this program will be fully running by the end of summer/new Academic Year, so I am really excited to see the possibilities and their hard work being realized at that point in time!

If you could solve one problem right now at UConn, what would it be?

This is not a "problem" as much as something that is an area in which we can possibly improve, and it's something that's already being worked on - and that's transfer credit for military training and military experience. It's clearly specific to our students, but transfer of credit is a larger concept that can be applied to many students beyond those who have served.

What is your favorite dairy Bar ice cream/spot on campus?

My favorite Dairy Bar ice cream is banana chocolate chip with peanut butter topping!

Another favorite thing of mine at UConn is the trees - but somehow my favorites aren't on the campus tree touring guide. My favorite trees are the large tree at the corner of the parking lot next to Mirror Lake and Manchester Hall, the tree on Horsebarn Hill Rd. in between the parking lot behind the Young Building and the Horse Barns, and the beautiful flowering trees right outside our own building, Hawley Armory along the side walk.

Lastly, my daugther (5 years old) would say her favorite thing at UConn is the Walrus, inside the TLS Building!

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – February 2023

February has been an exceptionally busy month. We’re nearing the end of the annual promotion, tenure and reappointment cycle; introducing new PTR/PR software; preparing for academic unit budget hearings; and working on planning for the next academic year.

By now you’re likely all aware of the current situation with the governor’s proposed biannual budget and its potential impact on UConn. I have been participating in meetings with President Maric, UConn leaders, and legislators actively working on ways to bridge the gap between UConn’s request and the governor’s proposal. In undertaking this work I have been tremendously inspired by our UConn students and their extraordinary vision and leadership in protesting the proposed budget and highlighting the profound impacts it would have on their education. It was good to see them turn out in force for a peaceful and passionate protest on February 15, and also to see the large number of faculty and staff who joined them in solidarity.

UConn students and students from the Connecticut state universities and community colleges spoke at a panel that night to address the impact of the proposed budget on their universities. With other University leaders, I attended in person to support the students, and was moved by the thoughtfulness and depth of their testimony. I was proud to see so many Connecticut students actively using their voices to initiate change. It reminds me how lucky we are to have the opportunity to help nurture and educate our students to be the future leaders of our state and nation. I was also impressed by the focus, respect, and good will that our state legislators brought to their interactions with all of us but especially the students – their dedication to the public good was clear at every moment.

I also want to acknowledge that, despite all that we have going on, it’s important to reflect on our community wellbeing. Earlier this month, we learned of another tragic mass-shooting on a university campus. The safety of our students, staff and faculty is of the utmost importance all of UConn’s campuses. I encourage all faculty and staff to check in with your units to make sure you know your unit’s emergency plans. And most importantly, I encourage us all to check in with each other. This could mean allowing time for students to share their feelings during class or office hours; making a referral to the CARE team if you are concerned about a student’s wellbeing; setting up time to meet individually with direct reports to see how they are doing; or just meeting up with a colleague for a coffee to catch up. Supporting each other is how we will continue to move forward together.

Reading Days

Reading Days are Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and April 30. Per the University Senate By-Laws, the intent of Reading Days is as follows:

Final Exams

Final exams begin on Monday, May 1, and end on Sunday, May 6.

Finals Opt-Out Reminder

If you are not delivering a final exam in Spring 2023, we ask that you fill out a brief form to notify the Registrar that you are opting out. We are asking for those who use another method of assessment (portfolios, projects, etc.) to let us know so that the room and/or time may be available for other instructors during the assessment period. It is also important that instructors recognize that due dates for these alternative forms of final assessment should not fall on days designated as reading days. As always, all due dates should be indicated on the syllabus at the beginning of the semester.

Many of our instructors have used other forms of assessment that align more purposefully with their intended learning objectives. Assessment formats can include individual or group-based strategies, e.g. projects, portfolios, papers, team-based work, creative works, performances, presentations, and other assessments in lieu of final exams.

Class Absences Due to Illness

At this time of year, and considering the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to remind faculty that students are not required to provide “sick notes” or “medical excuses” when they miss classes, and such excuses should not be requested from them. More generally, per the university Senate By-laws, student grades should not be reduced because of a student’s absence. Please exercise flexibility and understanding for students who may miss class or classwork due to illness. Faculty should also exercise caution in attending class if they are feeling sick. Our community’s health and wellbeing remains a priority of the University. If any other COVID-related questions or issues arise during the remainder of the semester and academic year, you may find our COVID-19 FAQs for Academic Operations to be helpful, but as always, you are encouraged to reach out to our office directly at provost@uconn.edu if you would like additional support.

Spring 2023 Pop-Up Courses

Pop-up classes are taught online in a multidisciplinary and integrated fashion by faculty from various schools and colleges and are offered to faculty, staff and students on topics of shared interest to the community and national or international importance.

Why the Jews? Confronting Antisemitism

Antisemitism has often been described as the “oldest hatred.” Yet the term “antisemitism” is a modern formulation, coined in Germany in the 1870s a badge of pride by German nationalists who feared Jews posed a danger to “true German culture.” Why should the so-called “anti-semites” define who or what Jews and Judaism are? Just as the broad range of Jewish experiences around the globe over thousands of years defies easy categorization, hatred of Jews has taken so many forms from antiquity to the present that it also resists simple categorization or definition. Why have the Jewish people been such convenient targets for any number of agendas and ideologies? What accounts for the persistence of numerous anti-Jewish tropes that run the gamut from “Christ-killer” to socialist, capitalist, parasite, and purveyor of global power? This course will first and foremost introduce students to the diverse nature of Jewish identity, before examining the many manifestations of Jewish hatred throughout history, and the ways in which Jews have attempted to respond to a hatred that refuses to disappear.

Transformation Now

This course provides a brief, detailed historical account of gender, the language that has shaped gender, the laws that have defined gender, and the various transnational revolutions that have taken place to redefine gender altogether. Students will be able to recognize how essentialist/biological determinist beliefs are used by institutions to reinforce systemic oppression so they may develop skills to transform their communities.

Emeritus Status Nomination Deadline

Faculty who retire at the rank of associate professor (or equivalent clinical, in-residence, and extension titles) and who have at least five years of service are automatically recommended for emeritus status to the Board of Trustees. However, faculty or other related staff who retire and do not meet these conditions can only be considered for emeritus status if nominated to the Emeritus Committee. The next deadline for submitting materials to this committee is April 1. Further details, including guidelines for nomination materials, can be found on the Office of the Provost website.

Nursing Dean Search

We are pleased to share that four candidates have been selected as finalists for the Dean of the School of Nursing position. The candidates will visit Storrs and UConn Health the week of February 27, 2023. We encourage you to participate in public forums throughout their visits and share your feedback on each candidate in the provided surveys. This input will be carefully considered by the members of the search committee. Information on candidates including CVs, public forum meeting links, and feedback surveys are available on this page.

Executive Leader Onboarding

Another session of the Executive Leader Onboarding series was held on Thursday, February 9 at the UConn Waterbury campus. Senior administrators participated in dynamic discussions with University Safety and ITS about safety in the workplace and online. Participants learned about university safety resources, emergency response guidelines, and how the University manages critical incidents on-campus. They also received an overview of the IT support systems and structures at UConn and UConn Health, with a focus on the overarching goals of ensuring IT security. Waterbury Campus Director Fumiko Hoeft also presented on the highlights of UConn Waterbury and led an exciting tour of the campus.

Student Athlete 3.0 Night

On February 15, the Student Athlete Success Program and Division of Athletics held their annual 3.0 Night celebration at the UConn Women’s basketball game vs. CCSU. The event recognized student athletes who achieved a 3.0 or better in the Spring ’22 and/or Fall ’22 semesters. We are proud and inspired by our student athletes who display excellence both in their sport, and in the classroom. We are so proud of the work completed by Ellen Tripp, the director of the Student-Athlete Success Program (SASP), as well as all of the counselors and advisors in this unit for the valuable support and academic counseling they provide to our student-athletes, helping to ensure their academic success.

429 students who achieved a 3.00 semester GPA or higher for either Spring 2022 and Fall 2022.
73 enrolled student-athletes who earned a term GPA of 4.0 in Spring '22 and/or Fall '22 term.
23 enrolled student-athletes who maintain a cumulative GPA of 4.0 through the Fall '22 term
Currently, sixteen of our teams have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher.

Highlighting Interdisciplinary Scholarship at UConn

The Eversource Energy Center, founded in 2015 at UConn in partnership with the Eversource Energy Company, is a unique research institute whose mission is “to be the foremost energy utility-academia partnership advancing leading-edge interdisciplinary research and technology assuring reliable power during extreme weather and security events.”

In the eight years since it set up shop at the UConn Tech Park’s Innovation Partnership Building, the EEC has been making great strides in the five research areas—or pillars—on which its mission rests: grid resilience in a warming climate, grid reliability in a changing demand environment, renewable energy integration, cyber-physical system security, and workforce training, outreach, and policy. In its annual reports, the Center chronicles its progress in an ever-increasing number and range of research projects in all of these areas. These include advances in storm preparedness, vegetation management, electric grid reinforcement, and renewable energy.

A centerpiece of EEC accomplishment is the development of UConn’s Outage Prediction Model (OPM), which combines weather, vegetation, infrastructural, and historical storm data, among others, to predict storm damage to the electric grid and enable utilities to prepare for its impacts. Recently, the Center entered into partnerships with AVANGRID and Dominion Energy to extend development of the OPM to parts of the United States beyond Eversource’s service area, including New York, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Aside from its research work, the EEC provides substantial support to the UConn community in other ways. Since its inception, the Center has funded 145 students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, 10 postdoctoral researchers, and 49 UConn faculty. Through its new Grid Modernization Certificate Program, it is also preparing early-career engineers for careers in managing an electric grid made ever more complex by the transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy. And, through its pioneering Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, the Center has, to date, funded thirteen underrepresented and minority (URM) students, including support for internships, mentors, and expenses for those who present their research at national conferences and publish their work. The goal is ultimately to have URM students comprise 25 percent of the Center’s funded students.

Recently, Eversource Energy extended its support for the Eversource Energy Center with a commitment of $14 million in new funding. The Center will use these funds to continue and expand its efforts to address the great resilience challenges that confront the energy industry at the intersection of weather extremes, climate change, and clean power infrastructure.

Academic Affairs Spotlight

The Office of the Provost and the units that report in academic affairs are staffed and led by an outstanding group of talented and dedicated colleagues. This month we are spotlighting Dr. Tadarrayl Starke, Associate Vice Provost of the Institute for the Student Success. He also serves as Interim Executive Director for Access and Post-Secondary Success, Director, McNair Scholars Program, and Director, Northeast Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. Dr. Starke is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. For over 20 years, Dr. Starke has been committed to student success, with an emphasis in serving students traditionally underrepresented in higher education like himself.

What does a typical work week look like for you?

For the most part, my week is filled with committee, staff, and budget meetings. I also add in various UConn Foundation meetings on both the development and corporate philanthropy sides on certain weeks to ensure we keep our needs and activities on the forefront of their awareness and to help add resources to various student success initiatives. Because ISS is such a large division, the meetings are varied in their focus areas and targeted populations. But, many meetings allow for colleagues and myself to discuss ways we can be creative and innovative to move student success forward at UConn. Those meetings have helped move forward a lot of the work in ISS, but also have generated ideas for new programming and services to support our students. It’s always exciting when we get to envision how we can better support our students in reaching their goals.

During certain stretches of the year, I am usually consumed with grant writing to help supplement our programs across the division. Over the last 2 years, I’ve been able to work with some great people at UConn to submit over $45 million in grant proposals. Fingers crossed for some of those awaiting determination.

Like a lot of staff, right now I am also serving in additional capacities within our division. One role is the Interim Director of the Center for Access & Postsecondary Success (CAPS). This provides a great opportunity to work with our university community to promote greater equity in higher education and to imagine and develop steps to expand how we at UConn better serve and support our underrepresented populations across the system.

Finally, my weeks are highlighted when I get to engage with undergraduate students in conversations about their experiences at UConn, or talking with graduate students about their professional pathways, or speaking in a class about my personal journey in and through higher education to help students realize there’s no one defined path to reach your goals.

What is an important project/initiative you’re working on right now?

A major initiative I’m working on is Regional Campus success efforts. Focusing significantly on underrepresented student populations, I’m working with various people across the UConn system, as well as our partners in the UConn Foundation, to build new systems, services, and resources to enhance existing student success efforts and develop new ways of improving student outcomes. Our work seeks to help students tap into programming that can promote retention while also helping them build a sense of community to the campus and to each other. This is another area where being free to imagine what could be is so important, as we have the potential to create a new way of approaching student success and expand how our students on the Regional Campuses experience the various dimensions of UConn.

What are you most looking forward to as the semester begins?

Student engagement. Students give me energy. As someone who comes from a Student Affairs background, I thrive off the energy students bring. It keeps me focused on why we’re all here – them and their needs. Their energy provides the opportunity for us to also listen to their voices in order to develop better ways to serve and support them through the journey to and through UConn. I look forward to great conversations about what we can do to make UConn a place where all of our students feel valued, can pursue their interests, and build lifelong connections with faculty, staff, and other students.

If you could solve one problem right now at UConn, what would it be?

If I could solve one problem right now at UConn, it would be to expand advising staff…not just academic advising staff, but increase the number of staff who provide an advising and/or counseling function to our students. Our academic and non-academic advising staff provide such significant support to move UConn’s student success metrics. Unfortunately, we’ve had to do it in the midst of increasing caseloads, staff departures and retirements, and the increased need of our students to have deeper interpersonal connections. A robust formal and informal advising system shows the strength of an institution in meeting students’ needs. It’s our people who move and drive student success and, if I had the ability to enhance this particular function of the university, there’s no doubt we would reap the benefits in terms of improved metrics and student outcomes, as well as deepening students connections to the campus and inspire their continued support of UConn nation even well after they graduate.

What is your favorite UConn experience so far?

My first UConn Women’s Basketball tournament in Gampel is one of my favorite memories. The energy. The crowd. The excitement. I definitely learned why UConn is the basketball capital of the world. It was also a great change of pace after so long being online and working remotely.

Timely Topics

Timely Topics is a series of opportunities to engage with subject matter experts on topics relevant to those who support and advise graduate students and programs. Two tracks are offered for this series: one designed for faculty and one designed for faculty who hold an administrative role and staff, however every session is available to anyone interested in joining. All sessions will be held as a WebEx meeting. Links for each meeting will be sent directly to registrants and follow up materials will be posted on our website. Slides, recordings, and resources from past sessions can always be found at The Graduate School’s Timely Topics webpage.

Office of the Provost

Interfolio RPT Town Hall – February 10

Dear colleagues,

On February 10, the Provost’s Office will host a virtual town hall to offer a brief overview of the implementation of Interfolio’s Review, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) and Dossier Modules and to answer questions from faculty and staff about the rollout of this new system. In the initial year of this roll-out, faculty who will be reviewed for tenure, promotion, or a mid-point review in AY 23-24 will be required to submit their dossier in Interfolio RPT. It is anticipated all subsequent cycles of promotion, tenure, and reappointment will take place in Interfolio RPT. You can join the virtual town hall using the link below:

Date: February 10, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: WebEx Webinar (details below)

https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/uconn-cmr/j.php?MTID=m657db7c7829bc50902b68c4e93cbe7c8

Please click here to learn more about this session, view recordings from the November 15th Info Session, and to learn more about Interfolio @ UConn. You can also submit questions for the Town Hall in advance using this form. Questions will be answered live and the session will be recorded.

Respectfully,

Jeffrey Shoulson, Ph.D.
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – July 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Syllabi Updates for Fall 2023

Academic Integrity

Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Interpersonal Violence

HuskyCT Personalization Options: Pronouns and Name Pronunciation

NEWS & UPDATES

Sign-up to participate in Fall Opening

Volunteer to Teach a FYE Course at Storrs

UConn Migrating to Microsoft 365

Associate Director of Outreach and Engagement

EXCELLENCE ALWAYS

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & EVENTS

Dates

New Associate Dean and Department Head Orientation

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – June 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Updates from the Provost's Office

Synchrony JEDI Research Faculty Fellow

Academic Impressions

NEWS & UPDATES

South Campus Infrastructure Construction Starting

Fall Opening

Ship to Home Guidelines from Purchasing

UConn Stamford Launches Eatery Meal Plan

School of Fine Arts Dean Search

EXCELLENCE ALWAYS

2022-2023 Board of Trustees Distinguished Professors

Provost’s Outstanding Service Award

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & EVENTS

Dates

Provost Summit for Student Success

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – May 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

University Senate Bylaw Changes

Read more here

NEWS & UPDATES

Travel Expenses for Trips of 30 Days or Longer

Anti-Black Racism Course Requirement

Laura Curran Named Dean of UConn School of Social Work

Provost Office Leadership Update

Clinical Placement Coordination Director Announcement

Institute of Materials Science (IMS) Director Reappointment

CLAS Dean Transition

EXCELLENCE ALWAYS

PAECES Award Winners

IMPORTANT DATES, DEADLINES & EVENTS

Dates

Faculty Consulting, Storrs/regional campus faculty - year begins May 23

Executive Leader Onboarding

Assessment Institute

Center & Institute Directors Retreat

Provost Summit for Student Success

Office of the Provost

Clinical Placement Coordination Director Appointment

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Leadership Update

Office of the Provost

Provost’s Office Monthly – April 2023

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

UConn's Newest Living/Learning Community Launching Fall 2023

Interfolio Review, Promotion & Tenure (RPT)

Reading Days

Final Exams

UNESCO ChatGPT Quick Start Guide

NEWS & UPDATES

Victoria Vaughan Dickson Named Dean of UConn School of Nursing

CLAS Dean Juli Wade

School of Fine Arts Dean Search

New Training for State Employees: Understanding Domestic Violence

EXCELLENCE ALWAYS

Celebrating Promotion & Tenure of 96 Faculty

2023 Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients

Save the Date: Staff Technology Day
Tuesday, June 6, 2023